9 Bunk Bed Alternatives to Save Space & Be Safe

Bunk bed alternatives have become increasingly popular as people seek safer solutions for their children and more unique and interesting options as our passions for home decoration are again on the rise.

Bunk beds can be a great way for getting your children to share a room together while also saving up on space and the expense of an extra room. However, this furniture tends to be very expensive and will set you back by a few bucks.

On top of that, it’s not an entirely safe option for toddlers and can lead to a plethora of different accidents.

However, there are a couple of different alternatives to bunk beds out there that are not only affordable but are perfectly secure for use for children of any age. Some of these models also have a lot more value to offer, making them something worth considering.

9 Bunk Bed Alternatives

Like those in medieval times and in the military where space is a premium (which is what led to the rise in the popularity of bunk beds), we often need to do this in our present day homes. Sometimes kids need to share a bedroom or we're dealing with a college dorm room. But a bunk bed doesn't attract us or is too "childish" for an adult. There are other options!

Below are the most reliable and effective furniture options that can easily replace a bunk bed. You may also enjoy learning about the bed alternatives for more ideas afterwards.

Go through their descriptions to know more about their features and qualities to decide which one is more preferable for you.

Loft Beds

You can picture a loft bed as a set of bunk beds where the bottom bed has been removed. So ultimately there is only the top bed remaining. What's awesome about these is you get to keep all of the floor space you'd otherwise lose.

I built one of these when I was in college. Beneath the bed I had a desk where my computer was set up. I spent so much time under there doing my homework and playing computer games. It's kind of comfy, like being in your own personal cave.

If you're a boy you may not care but the ladies may want to learn about bed skirt alternatives to help decorate a bit, because the frame and safety borders around the bed preclude you from having normal bed skirts.

Storage Beds

Unlike other units in this list, the storage bed serves as a useful alternative by eliminating the need for other furniture in the room.

By both functioning as a bed and a container unit, it allows for the inclusion of two storage beds into your child’s room. It is the perfect combination of comfort and convenience into one product.

Having two storage beds in your room eliminates the need for wardrobes or a chest of drawers. It has an incredibly large storage space at the base with two drawers protruding out of each of them.

Both of them cover the entire lower part of the bed and can store a wide variety of things from clothing to electronic devices with ease.

Incomparable durability is one of the most attractive aspects of using two storage beds. Unlike conventional bunk beds, it doesn’t have strings in it and has a wooden base instead.

The inclusion of the drawers makes it stronger for holding the weight of the human body alongside the content within. You can use it comfortably without having to worry about it collapsing.

Although the storage bed has a lot of benefits to offer, it does have a significant flaw worth knowing about. The storage space that two of these take up will still be a bit bigger than bunk beds.

Therefore, you need to sacrifice a little bit more area if you want to get this item. However, the features make this issue worth overlooking as far as bunk bed alternatives go.

Futons

Futons are a Japanese invention which are basically just firm, thinner mattresses that you unfold onto the ground. When you're done sleeping, you can fold them back up and store them in a cabinet or against the wall.

The main benefit of these is that you get to reclaim floor space you'd otherwise lose to a bed. All types of futons are fun and a novelty for a while but ultimately unless you live in a studio apartment, the trade off isn't worth it. They aren't comfortable for long and your back will let you know eventually.

Many of these are now built into seat frames where the back cushion can lay back to create the flat platform that the futon rests on. In fact, the entirety of the cushions are the futon, from the seat to the back.

Hideaway Bed / Murphy Bed

With the perfect mix of convenience and effectiveness in terms of allocation, the hideaway bed is an excellent alternative to the bunk bed. It perfectly functions as a double bed and takes up very little space.

You can easily push it back into a wall and free up a lot of room in the process. Therefore, it is very efficient, more so than any of these other alternatives to bunk beds when you consider the comfort factor.

Although a hideaway bed can easily accommodate two people by itself, you can buy two for a room, and it still won't end up cluttering the place.

When you’re not using it, you can simply stow them away on the wall of your rooms and it will easily gel into the aesthetics. All you have to do is pull it down before bedtime, and you're good to go for a nap.

Using a hideaway bed allows you to save up a lot of space in your room. Placing a rug beneath the area where the bed will be during bedtime will also leave you with a mini recreational area.

Therefore, it can be a great place to lounge in the morning and play board games or read a book. Placing the bed will not ruin what's below it as it has two boards on either side to balance itself.

Even though there are tons of values the hideaway bed has to offer, it does come with its own set of flaws. Pulling out the bed every time you want to use it might feel annoying at times.

On top of that, the sheets and pillows can get out of place when in use. Therefore, you will have to make your bed constantly when using these bunk bed alternatives, but it's not as big of a deal as it sounds.

Sofa Sleeper with Integrated Bed

Everyone is familiar with those super heavy couches that have beds built in. Usually you have to remove the seat cushions to unfold the bed. You can keep the types of bed sheets you use on the mattress as it folds into thirds to be tucked back into the couch.

The problem with these is the mattresses are thin and the support under the mattress is usually horrible to the point where you feel metal bars sticking into your back.

But there are some where the back of the sofa simply lays back and the front of the seat extends forward like a Lazy Boy seat's foot support does.

These tend to be a bit more comfortable but less bed-like without sheets over a mattress. They're great guest bed options but not really for permanent sleeping arrangements.

Bunk Bed with Stairs

The stair-integrated bunk bed substitute is a safer alternative to the more conventional models. Including a stairway with railings on the side makes it easier to climb to the top.

It drastically minimizes the chances of falling off and ensures your kid is perfectly safe. Buying this item might be a perfect choice if you have children who are uncoordinated.

Durability is one of the most noteworthy features of the stair-integrated bunk bed. The inclusion of the stairs and the thicker frame of the product make it incredibly heavy.

Therefore, the chances of the bed tipping over during use are extremely low. Your children can use it for a couple of years at a stretch without having to worry about getting a replacement.

One of the most attractive qualities of getting a stair-integrated bunk bed is the customization it has to offer. A great way to increase its utility is by adding shelves underneath the stairway to add some storage space to the furniture.

It also makes the bed look more modern and sleeker in design and stands out from other alternatives.

Although the stair-integrated bunk bed has a plethora of features to offer, it is still a bunk bed at the end of the day.

Therefore, you will have to deal with a lot of drawbacks that are present in the conventional model. However, the additional layer of protection these bunk bed alternatives offer makes it the better unit to choose.

Place Two Twin Beds With a Wide Dresser Behind

Nowadays, one of the most storage efficient furniture happens to be the combination of a bed and a storage dresser. This option is a hybrid model of it – featuring two beds joined to a dresser on either side. If you can get one like pictured above the dresser will be more like normal types of headboards with storage shelves in them.

The best way to make this product work is by placing the dresser in the room's corner to save up on maximum space. Combining two beds and a storage dresser allows it to have more utility than a bunk bed.

Not only does it work as a place to sleep for your children, but you can also utilize it to store your children's clothing as well, thanks to the inclusion of a container unit. Therefore, you can save up on not having to buy an extra wardrobe for your kid.

One of the most attractive qualities of this unit is its unparalleled safety in comparison to the bunk bed. Since both beds are firmly planted to the ground, your children will not have to go through the risk of doing a climb.

Therefore, there are no hazards of falling down and hurting oneself. The inexpensive cost makes it all the more valuable. As bunk bed substitutes go, they don't save much floor space but the safety factor can't be ignored.

Although this item has a plethora of benefits to offer, it does have one significant issue. This furniture tends to take up more space than conventional bunk beds. Therefore, you will be able to purchase it only if your room has the capacity to afford the entire layout.

Napoleon Twin Corner Beds

Another great space saving option for a room with two kids in it is a Napoleon twin corner bed, connected with storage cubbies as headboard alternatives. The benefit of this is you can push the beds right into the corner and open up a lot more floor space.

Kids will enjoy the larger, open floor space where they can play, wrestle, do homework, and whatever else kids do these days. It makes cleaning and organizing easier too, with the two dresser drawers underneath each of the twin beds. As far as bunk bed alternatives go, these are pretty nifty.

Combination Beds

Although a combination bed is technically still a bunk bed, this model is more efficient and effective because of its additional function as a container unit, if you can find one like that or have space underneath to add your own dresser.

The addition of multiple drawers and shelves will let you put a plethora of different items from clothing to showpieces. It is both an aesthetic and functional option, making it more attractive.

A major concern that buyers often tend to have about the bunk beds is the chances of collapsing. Most models tend to have a design that places the upper bed directly on top of the lower one.

Therefore, there is a bit of danger involved for the person sleeping on the bottom. However, the top bed is positioned in a diagonal manner to the lower one, ensuring that there is less overlapping between them due to the staggering of the beds.

Your children are bound to enjoy using the storage unit and skewed bunk beds combo due to its unique design. Conventional bunk beds have a very generic design, and it tends to focus mostly on functionality than aesthetics.

Not only does this furniture have a modern look, but the inclusion of shelves and drawers is also bound to attract kids who like to read books during bedtime.

Despite being an obvious upgrade to the regular bunk bed, there are a lot of problems that this model contains. It takes up quite a bit of space and therefore isn't a good choice if you have a small room. If you do have the space, and a lot of kids, a quadruple bunk bed might be the best option for you, freeing up other rooms for playrooms and the such.

Lastly, it is still a bunk bed at the end of the day, and therefore, you will have to deal with a lot of issues that are prevalent in the conventional one as well.

Bunk Bed Alternatives to Save Space & Be Equally Awesome

Bunk bed substitutes might not seem very interesting in the beginning, but now that you have gone through our list, you know that they are.

Now all that’s left for you to do is analyze the qualities of these bunk bed alternatives we described and pick the one that appeals to you the most. Your children will have a fun experience while you can be assured about their safety thoroughly.

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